How to find a "Lost" Elan?

[robin.dorset]

Hi,

I around 1982 when I was 18 a guy down the road from me in Boscombe (Bournemouth) had a G plate elan coupe (white) rotting away in his front garden. I was very keen to buy it so one day I knocked his door. He was friendly and we discussed a price but he wanted loads more than I wanted to pay.

He said - "let me take your name and address in case I change my mind on the price"

2 - 3 years later I received a letter from a solicitor information me that sadly the man had died and was I still interested in buying the car. (He must have only been about 40 years old)

I wrote back with an offer, I then received another letter asking if I would pay more so I wrote back again and said I would pay £1 more than anyone else.

I then received another letter informing me that the car was going to be sent to an auction (not local to me) so I lost interest at that point.

The car also had an interesting reg plate. according to .gov.uk is has not been taxed since 1984 and the last V5 log book was issued in 1988

Any info or ideas about how to track down this car please.

[elans3]

I don't think there is a way of doing what you're asking nowadays, only the police can obtain the information on who is the current owner of any particular vehicle. If you can remember the registration, there might just be the possibility that someone on a forum like this recognises it ?

[robin.dorset]

I do know the whole reg number. it ended in 200G - last taxed 1984, last V5 issued 1988 - 1st registered November 1968

I did wonder if it is possible to send a letter and stamped envelope to the DVLA which they could forward on to the owner. Anyone know if that is an option?

Thanks,
PS: interestingly a man who bought an apartment from me in 1986 owned a Lotus Elan +2
which had the reg plate 15 EXY. with the right type face and spacing it looked like 1 SEXY
This reg seems to no longer exist. I'm amazed that someone would let such a reg plate die!

[persiflage]

Hi Robin,
I had no luck locating my old Triumph when I asked the question on two of the Triumph Clubs online forums. I tried again about a year ago but this time I joined the same club Facebook accounts.
Two days after asking the question on TSSC Facebook I received a communication from the wife of the present owner. she had been pointed to me by a third party.
Despite what we currently hear about Facebook, it does have its good points.

[robin.dorset]

Thanks - good tip. I'll try that.

[ericbushby]

Hi Robin,
There was a time when DVLA would send all the history of a vehicle, but only if you owned it and gave an acceptable reason for your request. I got all the previous owners, addresses, post codes and dates of purchase.
They will no longer give out any information on previous owner or whereabouts of a car .
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE DHC

[berni29]

Hi

I am surprised you did not bid at the auction. Its very difficult to trace cars these days as people have said.

Do you currently own an Elan?

Berni

[billwill]

Hi Robin,
There was a time when DVLA would send all the history of a vehicle, but only if you owned it and gave an acceptable reason for your request. I got all the previous owners, addresses, post codes and dates of purchase.
They will no longer give out any information on previous owner or whereabouts of a car .
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE DHC

Except it seems to Parking Control Companies.

I got notices of fines from Horizon Parking for overstaying their 2-hour limit while shopping at my local Tesco Supermarket and Horizon had got my name & address from the registration of the car involved, my MPV.

[berni29]

Hi

Good point, data protection at the DVLA is a joke.

Berni

[robin.dorset]

I didn't go to the auction as I assumed the price would go too high and instead I used the money
as a deposit on a property.

Also, I was a bit miffed that I was prepared to pay a good price via the solicitor who was dealing with the deceased estate but they would not really communicate with me. I'd seen that car rotting in that front garden just down the road from me for a few years and felt I should have got it.

Anyway, this car must be out there somewhere. It has a cherished number plate and no new V5 since 1988

Thanks all of you for your tips and advice.

Anymore info welcome

[JPMS4]

Hi Robin,
my white S4 coupe was registered SUE 200G when I bought her in 1998. Have a look at the registration, might be the Elan you are searching.

Jens Hamburg/Germany

Lotus Zul..pdf

(588.05 KiB) Downloaded 146 times

[sprintsoft]

Hi Robin,

don't be shy, if you know the plate, post it on here!

This site gets crawled by Google, so any previous or current owner curious about the car will find your post and may well reply to you...

Iain

[berni29]

Hi

If that’s the car it will be so cool.

Berni

[sprintsoft]

Boscombe - yes, look like it !!

[robin.dorset]

Hi Jens in Hamburg/ Germany

WOW!!!!!!!! Yes, that's the car. Amazing!!!

It was sat in the front garden of a house in Drummond Road, Boscombe, Bournemouth for many years (late 1970s early 1980s) with grass growing up through the chassis and lots of green mold all over it.

It obviously hadn't been used for a very long time back then and I seem to remember the bonnet hinges were broken. Engine didn't look too bad but we never tried to start it.

What surprised me the most is that years after the owner died, he had kept my name and address (and written down it was connected with the car) and it was found and passed to his solicitor.

I'd be fascinated to know where you bought this car, also is it still registered SUE 200G and is it now restored?

If I'm ever in Hamburg I'd love to see it.

Thanks very much for solving the mystery.

Robin - Bournemouth.